Alexandre Gervais

Train coming out of Uguisudani station, Tokyo (Japan)

The station was opened on July 11, 1912. Uguisudani station is noted for its proximity to a large number of love hotels. The name relates to a valley where formerly many Uguisu were found. The Uguisu is a passerine bird more often heard than seen. Its distinctive breeding call can be heard throughout much of Japan from the start of spring.Wikipedia

Gold statue in Zenshoan temple, Tokyo (Japan)

Every August, Zenshoan temple in Tokyo opens the doors to its Yurei-ga Gallery, a private collection of Edo-period ghost scrolls. The 50 silk paintings, most of which date back 150 to 200 years, depict a variety of apparitions from the forlorn to the ghastly.
The scrolls were collected by Sanyu-tei Encho, a famous storyteller (rakugo artist) during the Edo era who studied at Zenshoan. Encho is said to have collected the scrolls as a source of inspiration for the ghostly tales he loved to tell in summer.Pink Tentacle

Yanaka, Tokyo (Japan)

Yanaka has been famous for its large concentration of temples since the Edo Period, when most temples and shrines were removed from the inner city and relocated to the outskirts in an attempt to curb the frequent fires that ravaged the crowded shogunate capital. Not only did the religious structures’ thatched roofs ignite like tinder, but the land they formerly occupied would subsequently be cleared and left empty, to act as fire breaks in the otherwise densely populated city. Furthermore, temples on the edge of town could double as forts to protect Edo from invasion.Frommer’s

Yanaka area, Tokyo (Japan)

The Yanaka area is a historical part of Tokyo, developed as a temple town in the Edo period (1603-1867). Prominent temples like the Tenouji and the Kaneiji were founded and still exist in the area. In the past people living all over the Edo(the former name of Tokyo) used to visit Yanaka for worship and for sightseeing. The neighbourhoods of Yanaka still retain the charm and warmth of the past with many historical, in traditional style, buildings, some of which are very small. There is a number of very beautiful small temples.Digi-Promotion

Mikan tree, Tokyo (Japan)

Its fruit is sweet and usually seedless, about the size of other mandarin oranges (Citrus reticulata), smaller than an orange. One of the distinguishing features of the satsuma is the distinctive thin, leathery skin dotted with large and prominent oil glands, which is lightly attached around the fruit, enabling it to be peeled very easily in comparison to other citrus fruits. Wikipedia

Stone lantern, Kyoto (Japan)

The lantern was introduced to Japan at the same time as Buddhism, in the 6th century. The ishi-doro or stone lantern is the most common type, gracing gardens, temples and shrines throughout Japan. Ishi-doro come in many different sizes and shapes, but common to them all is a hollowed upper part, made to hold electric lights, candles, or oil lamps, lighted on special occasions. The Japanese Connection

Lanterns at night, Kyoto (Japan)

Historically Kyoto was the largest city in Japan, later surpassed by Osaka and Tokyo towards the end of the 16th century. In the prewar years, Kyoto traded places with Kobe and Nagoya ranking as the 4th and 5th largest city. In 1947, it went back to being 3rd, but its population has gradually declined ever since. By 1960 it had fallen to 5th again, and by 1990 it had fallen to 7th. If current trends continue it could fall to 9th after Fukuoka and Kawasaki.Wikipedia

Nanzen-ji, Kyoto (Japan)

Nanzen-ji was founded in the middle Heian period. Nanzen-ji is not itself considered one of the “five great Zen temples of Kyoto”; however, it does play an important role in the “Five Mountain System” which was modified from Chinese roots. Tenryū-ji (天龍寺) is considered to be one of the so-called Kyoto Gozan (京都五山) or “five great Zen temples of Kyoto”, along with Shokoku-ji (相国寺), Kennin-ji (建仁寺), Tofuku-ji (東福寺), and Manju-ji (満寿寺). The head temple presiding over the Gozan in Kyoto is Nanzen-ji. After the completion of Shōkoku-ji by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in 1386, a new ranking system was created with Nanzen-ji at the top and in a class of its own. Nanzen-ji had the title of “First Temple of The Land” and played a supervising role.Wikipedia